The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-02-26

Murphy On. CO. Bulletin.

1854 man by the name O
Mortimer moved to this State from
Virginia. He was a wealthy man
owning a quantity of slaves, and
said to be a good man. We wish
we could say as much for the mo-
tlier. When the war broke out all
his property was swept away--every-
thing he possessed, and he died
just before the surrender, leaving his
wife and two little sons. The boys
were eight and ten years of age
when their father died, and with
proper care and training they would
undoubtedly have made good and
useful citizens but with such a
mother, we will ask, what better
could have expected of them? She
taught them to hate everybody, and
that everybody was their enemy.
She made them go armed, and
when one of them was fined for car
rying concealed weapons, she paid
the fipe imposed, bought him pair
of pistols and told him to wear them
buckled around his waist and use
them when he thought proper.
Henry and Edward grew up to be
young men. Henry had loaned his
brother Edward $50 or more, and
often he had asked his brother for
it, but was always put off with sone
trifling excuse. He went over to
see his brother about it-they were
living on the same farm, but not in
the same house-and he was heard
to remark before he left the house
"that he would have his money or
blood" and he got blood.
They met in front of their mo-
ther's house and were standing
within ten feet of each other.
Their mother seeing them standing
there quarreling, walked out of the
house and stood between them.
The conversation that took place
was never know. Suddenly there
rang out on the cool, quiet air the
report of a pistol, and Edward Nor
timer fell dead at his brothers feet,
the ball having penetrated his fore
head, killing him instantly, and in
his hand was an open knife.
The mother was standing between
them and had her right hand up to
her head, putting under her cap a
stray lock of her hair. When the
pistol was fired the ball took off
the forefinger of her right hand,
barely missing her temple. Both
were married men and had fami-
lies. Henry Mortimer was arrested,
tried and acquitted, his mother be-
ing the only witness in the case.
And now comes the strangest part
of this story-stranger than fiction.
Henry Mortimer is a veritable mod
ern Cain. He has not hair on him
from the crown of his head to the
soles of his feet. We have seen and
talked with him, and know whereof
we speak. He is about six and a
half feet high, very stout, converses
splendidly, although somewhat re-
ticent in his manner at first APP
pearance.
Shortly after he was acquitted,
and just after he retired, which was
between nine and ten o'clock, he
was visited by his dead brother. He
could see and hear him, but he him.
self could not move or speak. He
lay as if dead in passive state. He
had beautiful auburn hair and
beard, which was his pride. His
brother visited him the second
time, and reached out his skeleton
arm and bony fingers and COM
menced plucking his hair, one by
by one, from his head then his
eyebrows, eyelashes. beard and SO
on, until he had plucked every
hair off his entire body. 1t was
net done in one night, but was
kept up from night to night for
about three months.
He was a wanderer on earth, and
travels at night. He is the great
est curiosity we have ever seen. He
has the supposed mark of Cain.